It can be difficult to choose the best lock for your bicycle. A variety of options are available. Make the wrong choice and you could be in trouble!
You must choose a lock that is both strong enough to protect your bike and simple enough to use on a daily basis to ensure success.
Take these trends into consideration as you browse through this list. If you need more security than you actually need, look for something that makes you feel safe.
Make sure you look for something convenient and something you will use every time, no matter what is your best bet if your goal is to take your bike everywhere, and home again.
Your choice should match your budget, your style, and your specific needs. Finally, keep in mind that your bike isn’t safe at home and that in fact, bikes require more security at home.
| Products | Price |
|---|---|
| Kryptonite Kryptolok 12.7mm U-Lock | |
| Kryptonite Evolution 11-14mm U-Lock | |
| ABUS Bordo Granit XPlus 6500 | |
| FoldyLock Compact Folding Bike Lock | |
| Kryptonite New York Lock Fahgettaboutit Mini |
1. Kryptonite Kryptolok 12.7mm U-Lock
Introducing the Kryptolok New-U, a new version of the famous Kryptolok Series 2, and a good option if you don’t require the world’s most secure bike lock.
It still offers a reasonable level of protection, however. Kryptolok’s security rating rose from Sold Secure Silver to Gold due to the improved shackle locking on both sides, rather than just one.
It is not very heavy (it weighs about the same as 3.5 cans of Coke). In addition, if the frame mount is attached correctly, it is easy to carry on the bike.
Furthermore, the generous dimensions make it easy to secure your bike when you arrive at your destination!
Customer service from Kryptonite is without a doubt the best of all bike lock brands. You can take advantage of a variety of benefits, from free keys to reduced price (or even free) lock replacements.
Kryptonite Evolution locks are more secure than their standard locks, so you may want to check them out. The weight or size of those locks will be different, too.
The Kryptonite Kryptolok, on the other hand, would provide you with adequate protection for a very reasonable price if your circumstances are lower risk.
2. Kryptonite Evolution 11-14mm U-Lock
Under most circumstances, the Kryptonite New-U Evolution Mini-7 should withstand attacks from everything except power tools.
As soon as we began testing, it was clear that this lock had a huge advantage over the competition: a hardened shackle (the U-shaped loop that gives U-locks their name) that can withstand bolt cutters, eliminating a large portion of possible thieves.
The lock measures 7 inches long and weighs a little over 3 pounds, and it’s a perfect size for most people-long enough to lock a bike’s wheel and frame while leaving little room for a pry bar or a car jack to fit inside. Also, the shackle in this design has an additional cutout at the end, which makes it even more difficult to rotate (and therefore remove) it after cutting.
Its disc-detainer locking mechanism is much more difficult to pick than a normal wafer lock and should deter all but the savviest criminals from using specialty tools. Kryptonite’s anti-theft protection is also included, as is a 4-foot cable to secure the front wheel.
Secondly, the anti-theft protection on this lock does not apply to Manhattan residents, where theft is very high. You will need to register your lock within 30 days of purchase.
3. ABUS Bordo Granit XPlus 6500
There are different ways to protect against different attacks with U locks and chain locks. The U-lock is easier to carry, however, it lacks flexibility when it comes to holding onto larger objects.
Folding locks are an excellent middle ground. You can carry them easily, but they provide greater flexibility in terms of how you can use them. The problem is that all these pieces create more avenues of attack and fewer security measures.
There are a number of folding locks on the market, but one of the more secure ones is the Abus Bordo Granit: it might not be the most secure lock overall, but it’s among the most secure ones.
Additionally, it comes with great features like a slick frame mount and lots of rubber coating to keep the bike from getting scratched.
4. FoldyLock Compact Folding Bike Lock
In spite of its lightweight, the Foldylock Compact still offers a reasonable level of protection. Plus, it’s the most user-friendly folding lock we’ve ever tested!
Approximately the same amount of internal locking space is available in the Foldylock Compact, as it is 33 inches long (85 cm). However, because it’s flexible, you’ll have lots of options when it comes to locking your bike.
It only weighs 2.2 lbs (1 kg), which is the same as 2.5 cans of Coke. Sold Secure Silver’s mini u-locks are the only lighter bike locks than the Foldylock! You can unlock it, unfold it, get around your bike easier, and it has a better frame mount.
This is a great alternative to a u-lock if you have lower risk circumstances and want a compact and lightweight lock.
5. Kryptonite New York Lock Fahgettaboutit Mini
Kryptonite New-U New York Fahgettaboudit Mini has a dual-locking hardened shackle that holds up better than any other lock against cutting attacks.
Although we used a powered cut-off wheel, it still took over a minute to cut through the material—four times as long as the New-U Evolution Mini-7.
Although this lock does not come with a cable, it weighs almost 4.5 pounds, which is one and a half pounds more than the Mini-7.
The lock you should buy if you live in a high-risk area is this one. The lock also uses a very secure disc-detainer mechanism and is long enough to fit around the frame and wheel of your bicycle without becoming cumbersome.
The product comes with free coverage from Kryptonite against theft for an additional year. (You must register your lock within 30 days of purchase in order to receive coverage.)
Types of Locks
Manufacturers of bike locks use a few popular mechanisms with differing degrees of security. Anecdotally, destructive attacks are much more common than lock picking, which is an acquired skill.
A bike lock can also be broken through pretty rapidly by a skilled biker with the right tools. The majority of thieves aren’t expert locksmiths who use custom tools, but amateurs can still circumvent a few infamous lock designs with fairly simple attacks. Here we present the most secure to least secure locking mechanisms.
Disc Detainer
These locking mechanisms, also known as disc-tumblers, use a series of rotating discs separated by washers. Discs have cutouts; the cutouts do not line up when locked, but when the key is inserted and turned, the cutouts align to form a channel. You cannot turn the lock when there is no channel for it to drop into when a sidebar rests against the discs.
A disc-detainer lock can, therefore, be opened by aligning each individual disc to a precise position, which is difficult to do when compared to picking other types of locks.
The reason disc-detainer bike locks are so popular is that they are relatively secure and do not contain springs as well as being able to be manufactured with low tolerances, meaning they will continue to work years after purchase.
Slider
Slider locks are made up of a series of springless sliders that are located within the plug and correspond to slots on the plug’s exterior. There is a sidebar that rides atop the sliders in the slot, which must be inserted into the slot before the lock will turn.
The sidebar falls into the slot when the key is inserted and the sliders are in the correct positions. The plug turns inside the cylinder as soon as the key is inserted. There are high-security and low-security versions of these locks, based on their design and number of sliders.
Pin Tumbler
These locks consist of cylindrical housing with a plug. In the housing and plug, there is a long chamber for pins to move between. These pins are spring-loaded so that they can move back and forth. Locked, pins are positioned between the plug and the housing, preventing the plug from rotating.
In order for the key to turning the plug, it must be inserted into the plug, lifting the spring-loaded pins until they move into the housing completely, leaving a gap between them that allows the plug to turn.
They can be picked by skilled pickers who can depress each individual pin, but also can be raked, which is less difficult. Raking across the wafers or pins rapidly with a pick with a specially designed tip can set them and turn a lock without a key.
Wafer
Generally, this is regarded as the least secure design. Unlike a pin-tumbler lock, this lock uses spring-loaded rectangular wafers instead of spring-loaded pins.
As with pin-tumbler locks, these locks can be picked and raked with individual pins, but many can be opened with jiggers or model keys, which may be close enough to the authentic key.
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